One of the places on my bucket list of travel destinations for several years now is Sanya, China.
Any Sanya department of tourism officials reading this blog want to bring me to China on a press trip?
A number of international hotel chains opened new resorts over the past decade in the tropical Sanya Beach coastline region stretching east to west over 100 km on Hainan Island.  This is the southernmost point of China, closer to Vietnam than Hong Kong. The best weather of the year is December through March when temperatures are lowest (lows 66-72; highs 79-84) and rainfall is lightest (3 or 4 days; <1 inch).
The Sanya  region has been extensively developed for tourists with dozens of upper-upscale and luxury resorts including:
- Marriott Resort & Spa Sanya (Marriott Rewards category 5 = 25,000 points/night)
- Ritz-Carlton Hotel Sanya (Marriott Rewards/Ritz-Carlton Tier 3 = 50,000 points/night)Â
- Mandarin Oriental Sanya
- Hilton Resort & Spa Sanya (HHonors category 5 = 35,000 points/night),
- Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay (Accor),
- Pullman Oceanview Sanya Bay Resort,
- Sheraton Sanya (SPG category 5 = 12,000 points/night)
- InterContinental Sanya
- Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay
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Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay opened last week. This is the first luxury hotel built for a new development project in the beach resort region of Haitang Bay, about 45 km east of Sanya, China. The resort consists of 101 villas and suites, many with private plunge pools. The basic room is 60 sq. m. which is about 645 sq. ft. and larger than the average luxury class hotel room which comes in around 500 sq. ft.
Finding decent photos of this new hotel is rather difficult on the hotel’s website.
Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay is currently listed as HHonors category 6 hotel reward at 40,000 points per night. Room rates starting over US$400 per night for February 2011 make this property a great redemption value for HHonors points. Getting more than $10 per 1,000 points is a challenge with HHonors, except for select luxury resorts in the category 6 and category 7 categories.
HHonors VIP discount rewards are available to Silver, Gold and Diamond VIP elite members.
- 4-night stay (15% points discount; category 6 reward @160,000 points = 136,000 points)
- 5-night stay (20% points discount; category 6 reward @200,000 points = 160,000 points)
- 6-night or more stay (25% points discount; category 6 reward @240,000 points = 180,000 points)
180,000 points for a $2,400 6-night stay is extremely high redemption value for HHonors points.
American Express cardmembers can get even more than 15% reduction of points rate on four night stays with a 4-night reward AXON6Â for just 125,000 points.
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Doubletree Resort Sanya Haitang Bay is another recently opened Hilton brand hotel on December 28, 2010. The 463-room Doubletree Resort is HHonors category 5. Rates at the Doubletree appear to be about 40% the cost of the Conrad Haitang Bay Resort.
